And finally, there is the magnificent Office of Readings, at whatever time of day is best for us to reflect on the mystery of salvation, with the help of Scripture and the writings of the Fathers of the Church.

“The purpose of the Divine Office is to sanctify
the day and all human activity.” – Apostolic Constitution, Canticum Laudis.

The Liturgy of the Hours is the richest single prayer resource of the Christian Church, with prayers, psalms and readings for each of the Hours, changing each day and through the seasons.

But such riches come at a price. With more than a thousand different Hours every year, the books are thick and using them is complex. So complex that it is rare to find anyone reciting the Hours apart from the clergy and religious. Which is not as it should be. This treasure is too marvellous to be the exclusive possession of our servants:

“The Office is... the prayer
not only of the clergy but of the whole People of God.” – Apostolic Constitution, Canticum Laudis.

Limited translations: For copyright reasons the web pages can’t use the Grail psalms in the Liturgy of the Hours, or (if you are in the USA) the NAB bible for the readings and psalms at Mass. The apps and programs don’t have this limitation.

Limited dates: You can only see yesterday, today, and the week ahead. The apps and programs don’t have this limitation.

Apps and programs

Instead of using the web site, you can use a Universalis app on your iPhone / iPad, iPod Touch, Amazon Fire, or Android device, and also on Windows and the Mac. Here are the advantages:

More and better translations

Unlimited dates: as far into the past and future as you care to go.

No need for an Internet connection

Layout optimized for your computer or device, often with a choice of font styles and sizes.

The Mass Today page, which combines the Order of Mass with the prayers and readings for the day, so that the whole Mass is in one place. Some priests even recite Mass from this page.

Many extra features

Find out more

Follow the links for more information, purchase information, and details of free trials.

e-books

If you have a Nook or a Kindle or another e-book reader, they can't use apps. But you can still get Universalis e-books, which are almost as good as an app. A Universalis e-book covers a fixed period (a month, a half-year, or a year) and has one chapter for each Hour in each day.